Trailer-park Residents Seek City's Help On Improvements

August 14, 1989|By MATHEW PAUST Staff Writer

POQUOSON — A group of Shady Oaks Trailer Park residents who think they're getting a bum deal from the park's owners are hoping city hall will come to the rescue. The group met Sunday to compile a list of grievances they say have been ignored by the owners, Universal Management Co. of Newport News.

Among the grievances are the lack of a recreation area for the estimated 250 children who live in the park, which consists of about 145 trailer homes in the city's southwest corner off Wythe Creek Road.

Residents also complain that there are no fire hydrants in the park and that water pressure is inadequate for household needs.

David L. Short, a Newport News lawyer who is one of two partners in Universal Management, said the park has improved "250 percent" since his company purchased it from Alvin Firth of Poquoson.

Short said his company built a fence to shield neighbors from the noise and intrusion of motorbikes ridden by park residents.

"We didn't have to do that, but we did," he said.

He claimed the park did not have a manager before Universal took over and that real estate taxes have "probably quadrupled" since then.

"There wasn't any insurance on the park before; we pay $8-9,000 a year in premiums. Sure, we make money on it, but it's a gamble," he said.

Mary Little said she has a petition signed by residents representing 66 trailers in the park.

Little said park residents plan to attend the Aug. 28 meeting of city council at which a proposed ordinance that would require trailer park owners to maintain their parks according to city code standards will be introduced. City Manager Robert M. Murphy assured her such an ordinance would be prepared by City Attorney Benjamin M. Hahn in time for the meeting, she said. Neither Murphy nor Hahn could be reached for comment on Little's remarks.

Murphy said on Thursday that he had visited the park at Little's request and found that it was "definitely an eyesore" with trailers "really crammed" together.

"A lot of the tenants are not keeping their properties up, but others are. It appeared that those who were could use some help from the management," he said.

Murphy said the park was built about 25 years ago, before Poquoson became a city, in 1975. The city's zoning ordinance, he said, would not apply retroactively.

Residents suggested Sunday, however, that the park's grandfather rights under the ordinance would have been lost when it changed hands nearly six years ago.

They said Universal has raised the lot rent every year without providing any services.

The base rent is $180 per month, with an additional charge for water and garbage collection. Residents said they pay at least $20 monthly, directly to Universal, for water. This, they said, is more than double what they paid when Firth owned the park.

They acknowledged that Universal paved the park's roads and installed street lights.

Gene Topping, who said he's lived in the park the past 15 years, said water pressure has dropped because the system is overloaded.

"Universal added 25 to 30 trailers and they're all using the existing lines. I tried to put out a fire with a hose and the water didn't squirt as far as her shoes," Topping said, pointing about 10 feet away. He said the fire destroyed a trailer about two years ago.

Angela Coleman said the park's water line broke last Memorial Day, leaving residents without water the entire day.

Little said residents' water heaters burned out when the water was shut off recently without notification, and that the residents had to repair the heaters at their own expense.

"There are a lot of people who agree with us, but who were afraid to come to the meeting today because they might be evicted," she said.

Of the dozen adults who did attend, all agreed that park management seemed indifferent to their concerns.

"A lot of people are scared they're going to be thrown out," said Karen Neice.

Michelle Page said people who would like to leave can't sell their trailers.

"There are `for sale' signs up all over, but people can't afford the lot rent," Page said.

Marilyn Jones is especially peeved by the charge for water.

"I turn my water off when I go on vacation, but it doesn't change my water bill. I don't think they read the meters. I've been trying for three years to get gravel for my driveway. Finally they said all they have is dirt," Jones said, pointing to a dirt pile on an empty lot.

The residents said they've asked Universal to buy recreation equipment for the empty lot - slides, swings and a basketball hoop.

"We told them the men would set it up and pave a place for the kids with skateboards and the basketball hoop. The mothers have said they'll take turns watching the kids, but they won't give us anything," Little said.